Julien Benjamin (Staff Writer)
KSU responded after losing last night, picking up an 8-3 victory over in-state rival Georgia Tech Wednesday evening at Bailey Park.
KSU (17-15, 6-3 A-Sun) picked up its latest victor
y by way of a seven-run fourth inning, during which the team sent 12 runners to the plate, taking advantage of two Tech errors while amassing six hits of its own. Angie Dascoli’s two-RBI single, her second one of the inning, stretched the Owl’s lead to 6-0, as Taylor Denton and Sara Sikes scored on the play.
The Owls also benefited from strong pitching by starter Paige Mathews, who pitched into the fourth without allowing a run. In the second inning, she worked out of a bases loaded jam by striking out Georgia Tech’s second baseman Maddie Lionberger to end the frame. Amanda Henderson relieved her, finishing the game by throwing 3.1 innings with seven strikeouts, lowering her season ERA to 2.42. The duo combined to allow just three hits in the game, which head Coach Wes Holly accredits to a strong focus.
“The group actually did respond to my request, they put offense, pitching, and defense together in the same game. It’s been the missing key,” Holly Jr. said.
The game began with both sides trading zeroes until the bottom of the fourth, when the Yellow Jackets experienced a nightmare of an inning. “(The game was) a pretty good pitching duel until we busted out midgame,” Holly Jr. said.
Georgia Tech’s starting pitcher Kylie Kleinschmidt allowed seven runs in the fourth inning, but only two were earned, as her defense let her down several times in the frame. Even her replacement Kanani Cabrales committed an error of her own on the first batter she faced, allowing yet another run to score, as KSU took a 7-0 lead.
“I’m very proud of the girls for bringing their offense today, and being focused for the entire seven innings,” Holly Jr. said. “Once we get started, we are hard to stop.”
Tech added two unearned runs in the fifth, taking advantage of a throwing error by Dascoli and a fielding error by Taylor Denton to cut the Owls lead to 7-2.
KSU later scored a single run in the sixth, before allowing the Jackets to pick up the final run of the game on a too-little, too-late Kanani Cabrales single to right field with two outs, bringing the score to the final of 8-3. The final out of the game was recorded via strikeout, bringing Henderson’s season total to 128.
The Owls head to Jacksonville this weekend to continue A-Sun Conference play, and Holly Jr. looks to have his team motivated.
“We’re going to try to build on this win and continue the momentum.”
KSU begins their weekend series with a Saturday double header vs. Jacksonville University, in Jacksonville, Florida
